We've Never Seemed So Far
by AidenConner
Summary: Miles thought he had it all figured out. That was until he met someone who gave him a cold dose of reality, making him question everything around him.
1. We're The Kids Who Feel Like Dead Ends

NEWLY UPDATED SPELLING ERRORS

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Miles Barnett let out a sigh as he crawled his tired body out of his warm bed. He always seemed tired now. Always wanted to sleep. Maybe it was because it took his mind off things. Maybe.

He could hear the stereo blasting in his sister, Savannah's room which gave him the impression that it was at least two in the afternoon on a Saturday. Normally, his mother would be hollering for him around 8:30 in the morning but ever since the hospital they had been lenient with him, which was a more than welcome change from their normal overprotective ness which had driven him to the usual teenage rebellion.

Miles quickly got dressed contomplating going down to the beach when he heard a crash downstairs. He cracked open his door, hearing various screams from downstairs. His mom and dad were fighting. Miles knew that their relationship had been stressed for the past year or so, even before Nimrod came, but he had never heard them like this before. About 20 seconds after he heard his father slam the front door, and as he walked to his window, he saw the red BMW pull out of the driveway.

He let out a sigh pulling on Kachi shorts and a white Abercrombie shirt as he walked out the front door, not muttering a word.

As he walked to Carol Beach in his home state of North Caroline he couldent help but be upset. He felt like an inside part of him was dieing along with his parents relationship, a part that if it parished, he was certain could never be revived.

He sat down on the beach, sticking his feet in the sand, it being warm on the surface, cooler on the bottom. He closed his eyes, leaving back using his arms as a pillow.

He must of fallen asleep because when he woke up, he felt a sharp painful sting all over his body. As he opened his eyes, they declared the worst- A painful sunburn covering the entirety of his front side. He groaned as he lifted himself off of the ground, his skin feeling constricted, tight, almost as if it was too small for his body.

Judging by the sun, it was about 8:00 at night, it getting dark outside. Either his parents were so worried that his mother was going to have a brain anurism, ot they hadn't even noticed that he was gone. Number two seemed more desirable in his oppinion.

All he had to do was sneak into his bed without being seen, and it all roses and lollipops from there.

But of coarse his mother and father would notice the flaiming redness all over his body. His memory flickered to when he was six years old. He had stayed a summer with his Aunt Mallory in Flordia and had gotton a horrid sunburn the night before he was to return home. His Aunt wasn't exactally the most responsible person in the family, and she had put this stuff on his skin, to avoid the heat of her getting yelled at by her sister, and when he woke up the next morning, the burns were gone.

He walked into the beachfront store, catching the view of someone lieing on the counter as he walked in, the bell going off at the door. "Were closed."

"Are you sure?" Miles asked "It says open until ten on the front door"

"Yeah, well. That's not on the sabbath."

"It's Saturday" Miles stated

"Maybe I'm Jewish" The person he now recognize as a girl around his age said.

"Oh. Right. Sorry." Miles said, noticing the awkwardness of the situation. "I'll come back- Umm.. Nevermind. Sorry." As he made his way to the door the girl muttered.

"Just be quick- alright?"

"Actually I don't know what I am looking for" Miles muttered "Something for a sunburn"

"Alright" The girl said, walking into the back returning several seconds later with a bottle of clear liquid. As she faced Miles a huge smile burst out on her face as she began laughing hysterically. "Have Mercy" she smiled as Miles said nothing breath almost taken away.

The girl was beautiful. There was no other way to describe her. She had miraculous green eyes, almost luminous in their own sence, and beautiful pin straight brown hair interwoven with crimson and honey. She was tanned by the sun wearing a black tank top, white knee length skirt, and white cork sandles that added atleast three inches onto her height, which even witht he help was just pushing average height. She was thin, almost too thin, but athletic, an obvious runner. She had a heart shaped face, and angular side swept bangs framing it. It gave her a sence of mystery.

The smile faded as she muttered "4.75" as Miles handed her a five, muttering "Ouch" as he rubbed the Aloe Vera concotion all over his body.

"Bite the Bullett, Soldier" The girl stated as he read the name on her name tag. Emma. Just Emma, nothing else. Of coarse, a girl this excuisite didn't really need a last name, did she.

"I'm Miles by the way"

"I know-" Emma stated. "Your sister used to date my brother""

"Who's that?"

"Jake Mallare" She said. "They broke up about a month ago. Well. Sort of."

"What Happened?" Miles asked, not having the faintest recolection of him.

"He died."

"Oh." Miles said ovbiously taken aback. "I'm sorry-"

"Why. It wasn't your fault"

"Yeah. I know." Miles stated. "It's just what people say when something bad happens, you know. I'm sorry."

"You should think for yourself, Miles." Emma stated Ït's that rich private school. They're brainwashing you."

"So I guess you go to Eisenhower?" Miles smiled

"God, No.I go to Brandon."

Miles smirked. Somehow, he hadn't seen that one comming. People who went to Brandon Public Schools were considered to be the ones that were from 'The wrong side of the tracks.''

Emma must of seen his reaction because she smiled. "Yeah. I know. Brandon makes Eisenhower look like the freakin' Marriott when they're compared, but it's not that bad."

"Twenty One kids were just expelled for using Cocaine-"

"It was actually twenty seven-" Emma said matter-of-factly. "But it's good to know that the news is watered down before it reaches the rich schools. But not all kids at Brandon are like that-"

"Name one-" Miles challenged.

"Me" She said simply. Miles face said the obvious. He hadn't expected that answer. "Now, granted. I used to do drugs and drink and stuff like that, but that isn't my scene. Unless I'm having a bad day. " She smiled. "Then I enjoy a shot of Tëquila as much as the next girl." She paused. "But something tells me, Miles that that's not your scene either."

"Nah." Miles said "I'm not really considered at the top of the socil chain of the school- But even if I was invited to a party- I don't think I would do that"

"I don't think you would either" Emma stated as she looked down at the counter. All of a sudden she seemed very quiet and conserved.

"You alright?" Miles asked.

"Yeah" Emma stated "Ï just have to get home.

"I'll walk you-"Miles stated. As Emma flicked the light switch off and grabbed the keys, locking up the doors behind them she said simply.

"I don't think you'd do to well on my part of town-"And with that, she walkd off into the distance.

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As Miles made his way up the stairs of his house only glancing into the kitchen for a second, he saw his mother in the same place where she was when he had left that morning. He walked to his sisters room, knocking on the door.

"Come in-"Savannah said as Miles walked in seeing his Sixteen-Year-Old sister at the computer typing in her pajamas. A Michigan University sweatshirt and pants hair in a pony tail.

"Savannah?" Miles spoke, trying to sound innocent. "How long have you and Ross been going out"

"About seven months-"Savannah said coolly "Not that it's any of your business"

"So then you wouldn't know anything about Jake Mallare-"

Her typing stopped. "Get out of my room, Miles"

"Savannah?"

"Get out" She screamed, pushing Miles out of her room and shutting the door.


	2. Your The Only Place That Feels Like Home

As Miles walked out the door he found himself staring into darkness. His black flip flops clicked on the blacktop of his driveway. He stopped as he took the summer air into his lungs, it rolling out of his mouth. The night sky was so beautiful in Williamton.

God, he needed to stop this. He was just so hopelessly hopeful for everything. Miles wanted everything to be back to how it was before- Just so badly. Miles had never responded well to change.

"Why are you standing there?" he heard a voice say as he turned around. Seeing none other than Emma. She had a flashlight in her hand.

"Just looking..." Miles said, turning his attention to her, one eyebrow raised. "How did you know where I live?"

"After you left yesterday, I looked in the phonebook" Emma stated, wiping something off of her white Bermuda shorts.

"And you just thought that you'd waltz over" Miles smirked.

"A waltz is a dance, Miles" Emma said, contradiction him, but in the nicest way possible. "No, I walked over."

"So I assume that you got home alright?" Miles stated, sitting down on the sand, it cooling his hot body. It was a warm night, about eighty-five degrees.

"I didn't go home last night", Emma said leaning against Mile's neighbors fence.

"Then where did you go?" Miles asked

"I found somewhere" Emma stated. "Sometimes I just can't keep trying. Sometimes I need a break."

"Trying to do what?" Miles asked, unusually fascinated with this new girl that had come into his life. He was trying to figure her out.

"Trying to forget everything that isn't the beach-" She smiled. "I love it here. Your so lucky that your parents can afford a house on the ocean. I would do anything to live here. You have a beautiful home."

"Thanks. My mom would be happy to hear that-" Miles stated, as Emma sat down next to him.

"Ahh. I am sure that she would. Don't worry, I am available for a free ego boost for your mom anytime. I'm sure that she's nice."

"Yeah, well, what about you. I am sure your parents are pretty great."

Emma avoided the question.

"Oh, your one of those girls."

"One of who?"

"Those girls who are emotional sponges. They want to hear about other people, but never talk about themselves. Those non-materialistic girls who actually have substance. Those girls who can talk about more than their nails and what to wear to homecoming. I wasn't sure if they existed.You the first one I''ve ever seen in person."

Emma looked confused for a moment. "I don't know if you are complementing me or mocking me, Miles Barnett." She paused for a moment. "I usually like to think positively, so I'll take it as a compliment."

Miles said nothing.

"You want to go swimming?" Emma asked.

"What?" Miles said, not sure if he had heard her corectally.A completely gorgeous girl asking him to go swimming with her.

"Swimming. In the ocean. In case you haven't noticed it's about eighty gazillion degrees out here."

"I don't have a bathing suit" Miles said, almost shocked.

"So. Go in your boxers." She muttered as she stood up, unbuttoning her shorts and taking off her shirt, revealing a black bikini.

God. Every fantasy Miles had ever had in his life seemed to be combined in these few seconds. She looked at him. "I am assuming that you know how to undress yourself?"

"Yeah, but-"

Emma rolled her eyes, unbuttoning the top of Miles's jeans for him and pulling them down, revealing a pair of blue plaid boxers. "I am assuming that you can do the rest-" she stated as she walked into the water, Miles fallowing.

Emma laughed as she dove into the water, splashing about. She looked live a five year old, just learning to swim for the first time. Miles looked below him, wary of the creatures that lie beneath. They had already killed three. He didn't want to make that number five. But he was pretty sure that they wouldn't attack Emma while he was around.

"Geez, Miles." Emma said "Loosen up. You act like you've never been swimming with a girl before-"

"Well. I haven't- not really." Miles said.

"What about my friend Caitlin?" Emma smiled. "I heard that you two had a little late night swim down at that aquarium."

"How do you know about that?" Miles asked.

"Me and Cait have been friends for a while. In the summer I clean toilets at the Marina, and feed fish at the Aqua center. It's super gross, but atleast I can make some money.

"That's really cool." Miles said

Emma snorted. "Yeah. If you really love the smell of urine, I guess.."

"Not that. I meant that your working."

"Don't you work?" Emma asked.

"Not by choice."

"And that's my que to vow out." She smiled as she did a spin in the water.

" That would probably be best" Miles laughed, not wanting to spoil their good time with tales of steeling cars and highschool runaways.

Emma suddenly turned her head. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Keep quiet." Emma said, then a few moments later. "Shhh.. There it is again.."

Miles heard it. A low sound, barely audible. It seemed to vibrate throughout the water. It was a chilling sound, one that cut right through you like an icy wind. It was something he had never heard before, but at the same time, seemed so familiar. Kind of like the sounds wales used to communicate.

The hair on his arms stood up, it suddenly getting cool as his eyes opened wide. Their it was again, louder. Whatever it was, it was getting closer.

He turned his head so quickly he was surprised that he didn't get whiplash when he heard a splash behind him. He saw him, looking at Emma in a way he had never seen him look at another person. It was almost like he was infuriated with her. Absolutely fuming.

"Nim?" Miles said warily as he looked at his pet. Emma looked at Miles as he let out a low growl. She looked behind her, and became face to face with a swimming lizard like creature.

"Miles?" Emma said questionly, no fear in her voice. She just looked at Nim, unsure as if to run away, to pet it, or to just stand still.

"Nim go back to my room-" Miles said becoming slightly concerned as Nim moved closer to her the angry look in his eyes increasing.

"Miles. Is he yours?" Emma said something in her voice making Miles feel excitingly uneasy as Nimrod started to swim even closer to Emma as she eyed the shore, but they were too far out, maybe one hundred yards. Emma began to swim backwards and as soon as she made that first flick of the hand, Nim charged at her.

All Miles could see was the splashing of water. No screaming or anything. Maybe Nim was just playing some game with her, but as he felt something scratch his arm he yelled. "NIM GO HOME!" Shoving the animal away.

"Emma?"he muttered as he looked around seeing Emma. Her face looked alright. "I don't think your animal likes me very much-"

"Are you alright?"

"Really not. I think I need a band aide." She said as she swam towards shore. As she set foot on the sand, she felt her knees give out.

"Emma?" Miles gasped, seeing her legs covered in blood, completely covered. He grabbed his shirt, trying to stop the bleeding.

"I'll be alright-" She muttered, obviously embarrassed about the situation, though a tear rolled down her cheek.

'"I' m going to take you upstairs-"Miles said her being so light that it was like carrying a laundry basket full of towels up the stairs. He took her into the bathroom, closing the door and getting the first aide kit out of the cabinet. He got a washcloth and put warm water on it.

She closed her eyes in pain. "How is it?" She asked.

"it's not that bad" Miles said as he cleaned some of the wounds, putting gauze offer them, rolling an ace bandage over that.

"Gee Miles, you really know how to treat a lady-" Emma stated.

"Yeah, well. What can I say?" Miles stated. "Im a ladies man-"

He jumped as he heard a knock at the door. "Miles?"

"Aren't you supposed to be out with Ross?" Miles stated as her recognized the voice of Savannah.

"Yeah. Change of plans. Are you talking to yourself?"

"Yeah. It's for a public speaking class-" Miles stated, handing Emma a painkiller, knowing that she would need it.

"You know, M. That's really weird. You don't want to tell girls that you do that."

"You have no idea-"

"Well, anyways... I am going to bed so don't bug me-" Savannah stated as Miles heard her walk away.

"You can stay the night-" Miles stated as Emma looked at him like she had just received and invitation to stay the night that Buckingham Palace. "As long as your parents wont mind-"

"They wont" he said as he helped her up off the floor and into his room, fiving him some pants and one of his old baseball sweatshirts to sleep in. It was so perverted, he knew but even as she stood their in clothes that were entirely to big for her, hurting with no makeup, she was beautiful.

"You can have the bed-" Miles said to Emma.

"No.no.no. It's your house-"She said as sh he took the blankets that he had gotten out of the closer and putting them on the floor.

"No, please-" He said but he saw her face. The one Nimrod sometimes got, and he knew that there was no winning.

"Fine" He sighed as he helped her make her little nest on the floor.

As he turned the lights off it was dead quiet as he listened to the rhythmic breathing of Emma's lungs. He closed his eyes, letting the thoughts flow. Why had Nim done that? She had done nothing to threaten him or make him feel uncomfortable. If anything she had responded better to this weird lizard than Phill or Savannah or Caitlin had. It was true, though, that ever since Miles had let him loose in the ocean, that he had acted differently, and that was a mistake on his part, but to go as far as to attack someone for no reason, let alone the most beautiful girl on the planet, just made him wonder: What else was Nim capable of.

He was still just a baby, though. Baby's made mistakes.. Maybe he was just going through the terrible two phase.

"Hey Miles. Are you sleeping?'"

"Nope."

"Oh. Just wanted to say thanks..."

"For what?"

"For being such a good friend." Every ounce of sincerity in her body contributing to that sentence.

"No problem" Miles said. There was only one problem. He didn't want to be just friends with her.


	3. Everyone Is Trying

The next day, when Miles woke up, Emma was gone, blankets neatly folded in the corner, no trace that anyone else had been in the room, which was probably for the best.

"Crap," Miles muttered, remembering that it was a Monday, and in fact the last day of the school year. He hurried to get ready, showering, brushing his teeth, and getting dressed in his school uniform, which was a blue polo shirt, with his school logo on it, and tan pants. He walked downstairs, grabbing a piece of toast, fed Nim, trying to be as nice as he could, despite the anger he felt, and waited for Savannah in the car.

The drive to school was relatively quiet, as it always was, but today, Savannah wasn't singing along to the sounds of Kelly Clarkson and Hilary Duff.

"Are you alright?" Miles asked his sister as they pulled into the school for grades nine through twelve.

"Yeah, great." Savannah smiled, stepping out of the car. "Have a nice day, Miles."

"Alright-" Miles said, bewildered. Something definitely was up. Savannah had never in his life, told Miles to have a nice day.

School was never fun for Miles. Sure, he was good at is, especially at Language Arts and Science, and he excelled at Math, but History moved him to tears. He had never been good at it. Memorizing all the dates and names and places, it all just didn't click for Miles. He had definitely given up hope for that hour, spending most of his class hour surfing the web as opposed to reading the history text online.

As he walked into the computer lab of his last hour, he coughed as the cool air used to cool the computer monitors, met the warm air in his lungs from outside. North Carolina summers were unbearable, he decided as he logged on to the computer. They were always painfully hot and sunny, but the winters were even worse for Miles. As much as Miles hated the heat, he couldn't stand the cold.

He turned his head as his best friend, Phil sat down next to him. Phil was a wild kid, with even crazier bright red hair. His skin wad unusually pale, especially because he spent every moment he could outside. His uniform looked different.

'What happened to you?" Miles asked, noticing the dark red stain that extended from Phil's shirt, all the way to his pants.

"Ross threw his juice at me-" Phil said miserably.

"I hate that kid!" Miles exclaimed. Even though Miles was low on the social chain, Phil was even lower. Plus, Ross was dating Savannah, so that somewhat protected him from his wrath, but for Phil, it was like open season on his butt.

The history class was pretty uneventful. The last day of school always was. Just Mr. Skauge ranting on about the Vietnam war, which was most unusual, because the class hadn't even gotten past World War I.

When the bell rang, papers were thrown in the air, the halls being filled with shouts of excitement, as he and Phil made their way to Savannah's car, but turned in the other direction when they saw who was in it, Ross. The seven mile walk home was still better than riding with those two, even if it was ninety out.

"I am so happy that I don't live there-" Phil said as they walked dword the division of classes. Just passed the local Frosty Boy was where two different divisions clashed. One one side, it was the unspeakably rich, with their Ferrari's and fancy cars, on the other, the incredibly poor, lucky to have a car. It was so unusual for a town like Wilmington to have so much poverty next to so much wealth. It was all so segrigated.

"So, what are you going to do this weekend?" Phil asked, trying to make conversation when Miles didn't respond.

"Not much. I am going to finish my last hours at the aquarium- I think I have two hours left. I am so happy that they agreed to let me back in. I dunno. I'll probably hang out with Emma-"

"That the girl that you want to marry?" Phil asked, interested. After he and Miles last experience with a girl, you'd think Phil could care less.

"I don't want to marry her." Miles said "Just, well. Maybe I do.. It's definitely not even worth a try. She's way out of my league."

"You never know, dude." Phil said. "Miracles can happen-"

"Not ones that big. You should really meet her. She's so- So not like the girls at our school. I don't know, she has something about her-"

"Where does she live?"

"I don't really know. She spent the last night at my house and when I woke u-"

"Woah!" Phil exclaimed, stopping Miles in mid-sentence. " A girl spent the night at your house. This is huge." he stopped. "Did you?"

"Did we what?"

"You know-" Phil said, looking at Miles like he was an idiot. "Have sex-"

"No. No. No." Miles said, shocked. "No. Absolutely not. I just met her-"

"You've got to be gay-"

"Phil, come on. I am not gay-"

"Then you just have to be stupid not to have hopped on that-"

"You know Phil," Miles said as he approached his friends house. "I am starting to think why you've never had a girlfriend"


	4. Nothing Comes As Easy As You

Comments and Concerns: I thank you all for your reveiws, they really are fabulous. It makes me want to wright more and more every day. Keep them coming. These next few chapters are going to get very long, and pretty confusing, but a lot of questions are going to be answered, but it may take me longer to get the up and going, not to mention I am maintaining about a gazillion other stories on fanfic, so yeah. Just keep reading, and letting me know what you think. Suggestions are more than welcome, and if you have any ideas, I will probably use them in my stories.

Aiden

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The first day of summer vacation was muss less eventful than Miles had anticipated, and he was determined to make the second more interesting, he decided as he got dressed, pulling on a white Hollister tshirt and blue board shorts. He was out to find Emma.

Yesterday had been unbelievable boring. He had finished his last hours t the aquarium, he and Caitlin had gone on a walk, had McDonald's for lunch.

Oh god. He couldn't believe it. He had kissed Caitlin.

What had he been thinking? Oh, he hoped that she wouldn't tell Emma.

Why would he do this? It was probably just all the drama of his parents and Nim catching up with him. Caitlin had liked him, and for a while, he had liked her too. He was an idiot. But now- God. He was so confused. And he had slimed all over her. Whatever Nim had done to her, she now knew.

He was an idiot. A freaking idiot. Not that Emma liked him like that. Not like Caitlin did.

What was the matter with him? Why was he acting like this. He had kissed Caitlin, sure, but he wanted Emma, and that was just the end of it.

As he walked down to the marina his black flip flops weighing heavily on the sand. He found what he was looking for.

There was Emma, putting gas into a jet ski, her hair tied back in a messy bun, skin burned by the sun, blue mesh shorts clinging to her legs, bruises and bandaides covering them.

"Hi" He said, speaking behind her.

"Oh. Hi Miles." She smiled as she pulled the spout out of the Jet Ski, placing it back on it's stand. "How's your summer been?"

"Well, considering that it's only the second day, I would say that it's going pretty well-"

"Heard that you finished all of your time at the aquarium yesterday."

"Oh. Yeah." Miles said. She knew.

"Why do you say it like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you hated your work. From what Caitlin told me, your pretty awesome with the animals and fish and stuff. You'd think that you'd miss it-"

"Well, I like it. It's just, you know The chlorine can get to you sometimes. You don't always know what you are doing-"

"How so?"

"Well, you just do things that you sometimes regret-"

"Like what?" Emma said, looking at him oddly. Maybe she didn't know.

"Just things-"

"You know Miles, your pretty confusing. And that's good. It's pretty Boring, having everything laid out in front of you all the time."

"Yeah, well. Your pretty confusing, yourself." Miles said half heartedly. Gosh, it was hot out. Was that why he was sweating? Or maybe it was because he was so nervous. He was always so nervous around her.

She stared to talk about something, but his mind drifted. He would have to find Caitlin- find her and tell her that that kiss had meant nothing to him. Let her know that he was hurting, and that seemed like the best way to deal with things at the moment. That was what he had to do.

But what if her hurt her? He still liked Caitlin as a friend. She was cool to talk to, and they had a lot in common. Especially with her knowing about Nim. What if she went to the newspapers or the TV stations. What is they wanted to take Nim away. He had already been through that once, and he couldn't go through that again.

But one thing was for sure. He couldn't tell Emma. No way in hell. "Miles, are you alright?" Emma asked, looking at miles. That kid was goofy, just staring into space. "Miles?"

"Hmm...Yeah?" Miles said, refocussing his vision towards Emma. "Just drifted off for a second. I'm good." He couldn't believe he had worked up the nerve. "So.. Do you want to do something later.. Like, as a date?"

She wasn't saying yes- Why wasn't she responding. Had he gone that far over the edge. He knew he had

"I'd really love to, Miles, but I have a lot of work to do-"

"I could help," Miles said hopefully, his face showing the ultimates of desperation.

"Isn't cleaning toilette's and gassing up boats a little trashy for you-"

"It's better than feeding pureed intestines to fish-"

"That's disgusting-" Emma said wrinkling her nose. "Alright" she said a few minutes later. "Alright. If a boat comes, just gas it up. I am going to go and give the John's one more scrub. It should only be about twenty minutes-"

"I think I can handle it-" Miles said, laughing at her insecurities over the whole thing, though he knew that if it was his job on the line, he would probably act the same way. Emma walked off, as she grabbed her mop and a bottle of all-purpose cleaner and she quickly finished her job, returning to Miles.

"Mind if I grab a quick shower?" She asked

"Be my guest-" Miles said "I am not going anywhere-"

Emma let out a long sigh as she let the hot water pour all over her body in the locker room at the marina. God. What was she getting herself into? Miles knew nothing about her. Nothing, but at the same time, she wanted to hand around him so badly. It was obvious that he wanted to be more than friends with her, too. Girls were always good at telling stuff like that. Would she even have time for a boyfriend? With four jobs, working forty hours a week, constantly working her ass off.

All of a sudden, the stress got to her. Thinking back, Emma was glad she was in the shower. That was, the tears didn't show that bad.

The hand dryer worked remarkable similar to a hair dryer she noted as she held her head under it, putting on a pair of Hollister jeans and a light pink 3/4 shirt a sea throughout white sweater over it. She had been a bit chilly lately, almost feeling sick. She sopossed that what she got for sleeping in life guard stands. It was better than home, though. Hell, a Vietnamese prison was better than home, and the last thing she needed was to be sucked into that garbage again.

Miles saw Emma walk out of the locker room looking as beautiful as ever. He was so into her. It was so not cool. He had to stop this. He had never felt this way about a girl before. He had never been this much for it.

"Want to go for a walk?" Miles suggested as they walked along the shore.

"People are a lot like the sand-" Emma said serenely.

"How so-"

"Everyone's all warm and happy on the inside, but when you begin to dig deeper, they become cold and desolate-" Emma said, the wisdom of a 400 year old speaking through her. "I wonder what makes you cold, Miles."

"Who says I have to be cold?" Miles said sitting down. "Why can't I be warm and happy sand. Sand in Africa or something-"

"Because no one is all happy all the time." Emma smiled. "What could be so bad about Miles's life? That's probably how everyone around you thinks. But I see you Miles. Your sad. Why?"

"It's a long story-"

"I have time."

"It's not that. I wouldn't tell you even if I could. A lot more is involved than just you and me. Someone might get hurt, and I am not willing to risk it."

Emma nodded. "I really hope you can tell me one day, Miles."

"Yeah. Me too"

It was still light out as Emma said "So- are you pro-bush?" and those five words started it. One of those four-hour long conversations that you heard about only in bad romantic novels, and love songs. They talked about everything from the war in Iraq, to the X- games, to what exactly was in those energy drinks that made then so damn addictive. It was so corny, so unusual for Miles, but as he talked to her, he slowly found himself falling in love with her. Not that sappy love, that puppy love, but hard core I-want-to-jump-your-bones love. And he was pretty sure that she felt it too.

That night's sky was dark as Emma lay her head on Miles's shoulder s they looked out onto the ocean front. This is where they seemed to spend all their time now, looking out there.

"Look at that." Miles whispered as he heard thunder rumble in the distance, and a green, acidic lightening hit the water.

"It's beautiful" Emma said, staring at it.

"Yes, it is-" Miles said, looking at Emma as her eyes were focused on the lightening. The lightening blended with her eyes, it being the same color, an exotic green.

"Miles?" Emma asked

"Yeah?"

"I feel scared." she said. Her voice sounded childish and quiet. Miles sort of felt it too. A new silent feeling. He put his arm on her back as the lightening struck the water again.

"Miles- I think we should go" She stated, as she clutched her hand.

Suddenly, there was a loud crashing noise, a flash of green light, blinding him. It was so hot, and then it faded. It took his a moment to refocus. He felt the heat radiating from near by. He backed of of Emma, when the lightening stricking had protected her. He noticed a sharp pain in his hand, not the one that Emma was squeezing so tightly he feared it would fall off, but the other one. His right hand.

"Miles?" Emma said, her voice cracking, obviously scared out of her mind. "Miles- your hand, it's bleeding."

Bleeding was an understatement. His whole had was burnt to it's fullest. All that was on his mind was the flash. He saw all of them in the flash. All of the Nim's. He felt what they were feeling, and they were pissed. He could feel it, deep inside him. Something was going down.

"I've got to go-" He said, suddenly getting up.

"Miles?" Emma asked again, sounding more like, well, a girl than she ever had before. She looked terrified and close to tears, almost shaking in her tiny body frame.

"Something bad is going to happen-" he said as he pulled away from her, starting to walk away, but turned around when she didn't let go.

And suddenly, it happened. As she looked deep into her eyes, his chocolate brown meeting his emerald green as she placed her warm hand on his cheek. When their lips met, it was if electricity shot through their bodies, and as they explored the layouts of each others mouths, Miles wanted nothing more than to stay- her body pressed against his, dangerously close, his hand on her waist, hers in her hair. He wanted her so bad, but he had to go.

He almost kicked himself when he pulled away from her warm grasp that he craved so badly. "I've really got to go" Miles whispered as she kissed him one more time, deep and passionate, carnal, almost as if she was daring him to stay.

But he couldn't.

He took off running where the monsters had told him too. To the place he had found himself not to long ago. Where four mounts ago he had found Nim, just off the coast. Back to the very place that made him feel alive, but now he feared it would be the end of him.

When he got to Williamton Bay he was surrounded in chaos. Guns being fired, dozens of baby sea monsters lay dead and then popping back to life. Screams filled the air, one standing out, bloodcurdling. It came from a red car, he seeing the father of Jake, the boy Caitlin had introduced him too hand through a shattered window.

"NIM STOP!" he said seeing the friend that he held so close to heart attacking the grieving father. As soon as Nim heard Mile's voice, his expression changed from one of ferocity to one that looked regretful. Shameful of what he had done.

His attention moved to the voice that he dreaded to hear. That of Caitlins. He looked up, she standing maybe ten feet away, the sea monsters coming close to her, looking angry.

"Caitlin, take my hand" Miles said, looking at her, the creatures coming closer.

"No. No- I can't" She said, so scared that she could barely function.

"Hey" Miles said, trying to level with her. Trying to make her feel good, anything to get her into safe hands. "Hey. Don't look at them, look at he. Alright. Right here at me-"

Caitlin's eyes looked at Miles, not nearly as intriguing as Emma's. Her's looked warn down. As soon as she grabbed his hand, he jerked her towards him, the creatures immediately stepping back, as he knew they wood. They looked at Miles, as if waiting for his directions. Tears were in her eyes. "You look so beautiful right now-" he said as his lips met hers. He just wanted to make her happy, safe and content. He just wanted things to be how they were, before Caitlin began throwing herself toward him, but that kiss was nothing. Not like he and Emma's. That one was dead, almost like he wasn't kissing her. Something made him him look to the side when she pulled away from him, and he saw Emma, from fifteen feet away.

"I just wanted to see if you were alright. You ran away so quickly- But it looks like your just fine." And with that, she walked away. Miles looked down. His hand was healed, but his heart was broken.


End file.
